Japanese Handcrafted Trick Box Meguri-ai Limited Edition by Tatsuo Miyamoto

$600.00 NZD

Japanese Handcrafted Trick Box Meguri-ai Limited Edition

A fantastic way to prolong the excitement of giving a gift for valentines. It can be used for keeping small precious items inside. (see dimensions below)

Traditional Japanese secret opening boxes were first made in the Hakone region about the 1890's by master woodworker Ryugoro Okawa and are decorated with a veneer called yosegi zaiku marquetry. Today the youngest of the Himitsu-Bako Master craftsman is about 60 years old. This very precise process starts with selecting the wood to be used taking care with the combination of colours to be used, then allowing it to dry, before cutting the wood and then gluing it together to form the desired pattern. Then the box is built and each movement must be tested to ensure all the mechanics of the puzzle are working correctly. Last of all, very thin sheets of the glued patterns called zuku are shaved with a special plane and glued on to the puzzle to give the final marquetry finish to the piece.

This work is composed of three parts; the lower box, the top heart and the 3-leaf clover with three hearts. The lower part does not open freely and the top heart looks a bit lonely. In the middle, the 3-leaf clover composed of 3 hearts is the same as the heart on top. Maybe people who are quick to understand have already noticed the answer.

However, can you move the devices as you think?

Size (box body) : 89×89×80mm
Size (storage part) : 73×73×21mm
Material : oak, purple heart

Amazing wood craftmanship, and very unique design. Highly collectible.